Epicor Releases New Integration Product

Epicor Software Corp., a provider of integration software for mid-market businesses, earlier this month released Vantage 8.0 -- an ERP application designed for manufacturers. The company said that the product, can be used for multi-plant management, allowing firms to synchronize their manufacturing operations on a global basis. Built on an N-Tier architecture system, the product combines Microsoft's .Net and Web Services technology. The new application aims at providing end-to-end services from point of sale to delivery for PC users in a make-to-order or mixed-mode enterprise. "One of the benefits we saw in Microsoft .Net technologies was the ability to build applications based on an SOA that have either a smart client, or a browser-based user interface, or both," said Paul Farrell, vice president of worldwide research and development for Epicor. With an Outlook-style menu, right-click functionality and grid entry, the new product must be installed on a Windows 2003, 2000 or XP platform. The application can be used, however, on either a Linux or a Microsoft server. Created using Microsoft's Visual Studio .Net 2003, Vantage 8.0 can access any Microsoft-based smart client device, like a handheld bar code scanner.